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Getting by in the Dominican RepublicEven a limited command of Spanish will greatly enhance your time in the Dominican Republic. Most everything is in Spanish except for some cinema and cable TV. There are numerous historical sights in Santo Domingo, the capital city, where the school is located and a few museums of merit. Once finished with those the beaches continue to beckon in all corners of the country from powdered white sand in remote areas to a mix of sand and broken coral in overrun tourist areas. The beaches are a main attraction and if you like to dance, then its birthplace of Meringue is just the place for you. Women can feel uncomfortable walking around alone or in groups in this macho culture and crime is a concern for everyone in this country with about 40% of the people in poverty. But crime is not worse than in a large US city. Driving will take some getting used to as the rules of the road are optional. The people are friendly and a surprising number speak some English. One real drawback is the cost of a plane ticket to get off the island. Another is the recent (2003-2004) increase in the cost of imported items, which is almost everything other than fruit and vegetables. But prices have begun to decrease and there is hope that the peso portion of a teacher's salary will gain I buying power. A set amount, at least 50%, of a salary is sent directly to a teacher's overseas bank account as US dollars. Most teachers can live on the peso portion unless taking trips off the island The headmaster does a good job of hiring staff and the overseas hire package is average to above for central and South America. He has a hands off approach to the day-to-day operations of the school. The administrators may complain of being micro managed but the staff does not feel this. A great technology program and adequate instructional materials are much appreciated by the staff. You are left to run your own program and can usually count on administration to support you with parents. The board seems to be content to let the administrators run the school. Carol Morgan school is touted as an international school but in fact about 80% of the students are Dominican, many having US passports. The students are polite and somewhat laid back, some very laid back and parents are supportive and appreciative of the efforts made by staff. Working conditions are good and strong bonds can be made among staff or you can go it alone. The staff is a mix of mostly US and Dominican nationals with Dominicans dominating the elementary school and US in the high school. The large gap between the packages of local and foreign hires can cause some friction but nothing very noticeable. Overall a laid back atmosphere in a laid back country yet the academics are good as are the students. The housing is adequate with most furnishing provided. A back up battery system is in each apartment to cover your basic needs during the frequent power outages. This along with a high level of street and neighborhood noise are the issues that seem to fray the nerves of expats. Teachers come here expecting a tropical island experience and can find that within an hours drive on this island. They will be surprised to find a good school, with polite students and supportive administration.
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